Army of Me
by rainfire and hawkpath
Summary: Natural disasters have been increasing of late, and when a Rescue Team is sent out to deal with them, they think it'll be a simple mission: just arrest the Absol and go. But the Absol has other ideas. And she's a part of something bigger than they'd thought.
1. Prologue: Wolf

**Army of Me**

Author's note: Right, so this is a songfic (I'm thinking that's the terminology), in that each chapter's title (and the title of the fic itself) is a song that I think fits the mood. If you like you can look it up for your listening pleasure. (or perhaps for a better understanding of the story/characters. You never know...) Sooo, here's the first song: The Wolf, by Fever Ray. I don't own any of the songs or Pokemon. This is my first time writing something like this, so bear with me and enjoy!

**Prologue – "The Wolf"**

It was a dark and stormy night. _Very cliché, now that I think of it,_ thought a shadow beneath a pine dripping with rain. Carefully, The Shadow detached itself from the waterlogged branches and began to slink through the forest, using the trees for cover. The Shadow knew how to avoid notice. (That was how it all began, of course...)

The hazy figure stopped for a moment by a thin stream that broke through the trees and glanced down into water marred by raindrops. Looking carefully, it saw the dark reflection of a furry, fox-like Pokemon. Blood dripped from an ugly gash, which the Pokemon ignored. _Of course_, the Pokemon thought, vengefully slashing the water. _Of course there had to be… complications. (_The little brat just_ had _to butt in_… _The attack had been stronger than one would've thought, but it was nothing compared to The Shadow's power – _nothing could beat it, nothing…)_

The sky was lit suddenly by a flash of lightning, followed by the crash and rumble of thunder. "I had to kill her, you know," The Dark type told its reflection conversationally. "She knew too much. About Me, Me, Me... No one can ever know anything about The Shadow…" The Pokemon laughed crookedly, high-pitched giggles staggering from its throat. Its eyes were wild, leering at something that was not of the reality around it.

"Of course…" It muttered, sobering suddenly. "Of course, the _other _one…" It trailed off, then said, "No… No, of course not… Nothing can withstand _My _might…" It flashed a Sharpedo-like grin before continuing, "I just need a place to hide… A place no one would expect…"

Something went 'crack' in the woods behind the shadowy Pokemon and it froze, eyes wide and cold.

"_Ahh," _The Shadow growled, shifting, and a moment later, in an altered tone, said, "Well, time to go. Lots of work to do." Then it leaped the stream and made its departure. Droplets of blood haphazardly followed in its trail, but disappeared – along with the Pokemon – in the storm.

Reviews and constructive criticism welcome~


	2. Chapter 1: Knights of Cydonia

**Army of Me**

Authors note: The song for this (awfully long) chapter is Knights of Cydonia, by Muse. I own neither Pokemon nor the music. Feedback, reviews, concrit welcome. Enjoy!

**Chapter 1: Knights of Cydonia**

-years later-

It all started very simply. Zephyr (Blaziken), Wave (Swampert), and Slade (Sceptile) – otherwise known as Team Lance (Slade insisted the name made sense – "We balance each other out, and Team Lance sounds better than Team Balance, so…" When met with questioning stares – which happened frequently – he would say witheringly, "'Lance' is in the word 'BAlance'" and mutter something about illiteracy under his breath) – were woken up by Stu, the surly Exploud that was their alarm clock. Same old, same old. Their Guildmaster seemed more excited than usual during morning announcements, but Team Lance thought nothing of it until he pulled them aside on the way to breakfast.

"All right, you three," The Braviary said, his eyes gleaming proudly. "Have I got a job for you! Here, come with me."

The three Pokemon followed him curiously, Wave looking longingly at the breakfast hall. The Swampert knew better than to say anything, though; Ari, the Guildmaster, had a temper.

The Guildmaster propped the curtain blocking his office up with a wing, warded off his assistant with a steely glare, and ushered Team Lance inside. The office was an interesting affair, as the nest in the corner for the Guildmaster to sleep in looked cozy and comfortable, but the rest was all business. Ari led the way to his desk.

"I'm sure you three remember Team Eevee's excursion to the Frosty Forest?" Ari said, folding his feathers importantly.

They all nodded. A few days ago, the team of seven Eevee evolutions had returned from the Frosty Forest with strange news. They had gone to the Forest to apprehend a few criminals, and had found two out of three sulking around in a small town situated between the Forest and the mountains. The third criminal, a Tyranitar, was craftier than the others and had hidden in the mountains. He had been making his way through small, lonely towns, plundering as he went, and brutalized anyone in his way. That was the reason Team Eevee – an advanced team – had been sent to the Frosty Forest. The other two Pokemon, an Arbok and a Lairon, had been his sidekicks, but the Tyranitar had ditched them to get away with all his profits; they had been apprehended fairly quickly.

However, it had been when they went after the Tyranitar that things got strange. They had followed his trail (it hadn't been too hard – although he tried to hide it, he left a track of sand behind him), expecting a long, hard battle, but when they found him, they saw that another Pokemon had done their job for them. Bleeding and bewildered, he had just been buried by a small avalanche. A few members mentioned seeing a strange Pokemon leaping away from the scene, a white blur.

The Tyranitar had also mentioned the Pokemon – white with a dark face, sharp claws and teeth, a sword-like horn on the side of its head, and an ugly scar running down its cheek. According to him, the Pokemon had attacked him and set an avalanche on him. It was unsure if the strange Pokemon was friend or foe.

The Guildmaster looked keenly at Team Lance, and Wave shivered, while Zephyr and Slade exchanged uneasy glances. It was like Ari was searching for something in each of their faces, analyzing them and breaking them down into parts.

Then the moment was over. Ari straightened and nodded his head, as if he'd found what he was looking for.

"I've been thinking and I know what that Pokemon is now. It's an Absol." His face darkened, but he shook himself and continued, "The disaster Pokemon. We've been getting reports on an increase of natural disasters in that area, and that Pokemon is probably the cause. I want you to go and apprehend that Absol – it can't be allowed to endanger the village there. It's a dangerous Pokemon, and it needs to be stopped!"

"Sure thing. Boss!" Zephyr said, grinning in anticipation of kicking some bad-guy butt. "You can count on us!"

"I'm sure I can," Ari said dryly, a slight smile curving his beak. "That is all."

Team Lance, knowing they were being dismissed, left.

"An Absol, huh?" Wave mused. "I've never seen one before. I wonder what he looks like?"

"He's probably puny," Zephyr said, throwing a few punches. His fists moved so fast they blurred. "And collects daisies," he added.

"I bet he's huge," Wave countered, grinning. "And has red eyes of doom. I bet he's really macho and buff – and he's _allergic_ to daisies."

Slade rolled his eyes. "If he were puny or huge, the others would have mentioned it. Besides, there _are_ no daisies in the Frosty Forest."

"Aw, come on, Slade!" Zephyr complained. "Way to ruin our fun."

"I was just trying to bring you two back to reality," Slade said, his grin taking the sting out of his words. "At any rate, he's tough. If he can take down that Tyranitar, he's a real threat. We ought to pack."

"We can take 'im." Zephyr said confidently. "We haven't been beaten in years."

"Yeah, nothing can defeat our combo attacks," Slade admitted, smiling.

"Yes, yes, of course," Wave said. "But could we _please_ get breakfast first?"

xxx

Team Lance strode along a winding, dusty road, worn down with use. Grassy hills stretched around them; the town had been lost from view for awhile now. The team passed a few other Pokemon every now and then, but for the most part the road was deserted. It was very quiet as they walked along; no one felt like talking, and the companionable silence was left unbroken. They were all thinking.

Zephyr was feeling pretty confident, swaggering slightly between his friends. He knew the battle ahead would be hard, but they'd always come out on top! They hadn't lost a battle in years! Zephyr knew he could be hotheaded sometimes, but he figured that added an element of surprise to the battle. Besides, his teammates balanced him out. Zephyr was sure they'd get the Absol eventually.

Wave munched on an apple, casually strolling along. He was a bit nervous about the upcoming battle, but that was to be expected. The Absol had defeated that Tyranitar, so he knew it was going to be tough, but no reason for that to ruin his walk. Best to relax, enjoy his apple, and see about the battle when it came to it.

Slade, on the other hand, was mentally reviewing the contents of their packs, going over various battle strategies, listing useful items…Finally he shrugged and allowed a smile. _You're reading too much into it,_ he told himself. _Just enjoy the walk, you old worrywart._ And with that mental shake, he strode on.

xxx

"Gaah! Why is that Absol _so damn hard_ _to find?!_" Zephyr roared, kicking a pile of snow into oblivion.

They had reached the Frosty Forest and trekked around for hours; the Absol hadn't been found in either the trees or the mountains, although many other wild Pokemon seemed _perfectly_ willing to appear, making for a long search.

Wave leaned against a nearby spruce to rest. "Phew! Sneaky little bugger, isn't he."

"We need a new strategy," Slade groaned. "Why don't we see what the Pokemon in the town have to say?"

"Sounds good," puffed Wave, relieved. "But let's find an inn to rest in first."

xxx

The next day, well-rested and with a good breakfast in their stomachs, Team Lance was ready to begin anew.

As he looked at the quaint little buildings sprawling around him, Slade said, "I think we'll get more information if we split up. Whaddaya say?"

"Sure," Wave said. "How about we meet back here at the inn to discuss the next stage of the search?"

His friends nodded and they went their separate ways.

Zephyr stopped a pretty young Sneasel that was passing by. "Hey, there," he said, offering her a charming smile.

"Hi," The Sneasel said, blushing, and Zephyr's smile widened. He was smitten.

"I was wondering if you could answer a few questions." He brandished his Rescue Badge.

"Yeah, sure." The Sneasel smoothed back the feather on her head.

"I'm looking for a Pokemon called Absol. White fur, dark blue claws, scar on his cheek. Have you seen him?"

"Sorry, no," the Sneasel said apologetically.

Zephyr frowned. "Have you heard anything about him at all? He's known as the Disaster Pokemon."

She thought for a moment, tapping a well-kempt claw against her chin. "Now that you mention it, I have heard a few rumors about that Pokemon. They've been circulating for a few years now. I didn't know it was called Absol." Her eyes gleamed at the thought of sharing this new tidbit.

"And what were those rumors?" Zephyr asked, smiling and leaning closer. Score!

"They say," the Sneasel breathed, clearly enjoying herself, "that there's a red-eyed demon in the mountains and if you see it, it'll unleash an avalanche on you in its fury. Wherever it is, an avalanche is sure to follow. Other versions say it causes blizzards or hail the size of Chesto berries."

Zephyr winced. _This_ was the Pokemon they had to fight? He asked her a few more questions about the Absol, but as she didn't know any more… Zephyr began flirting shamelessly instead. He never could resist~

xxx

Wave had been asking questions for awhile now, with little success. Either the Pokemon had never heard about an Absol, or they spouted some rumor about it causing destruction and disasters on sight. He doubted the rumor was true, but he listened politely anyway. At this point, though, he was tired of hearing the same old thing. He'd noticed a café while he was working, so he headed there and plopped down on a cushioned seat. A plump Delibird waddled over to him.

"Welcome to Desmond's Dining, my humble café. How can I help you today?" The Delibird said.

Wave ordered a cobbler made of fresh berries. "Wait… 'Fresh berries'? It's so cold here. Where on earth do you get them?"

"I found some bushes up in the mountains," Desmond said. "By the by, I have an interesting story about those berries. A young-un' like you might like to hear it."

"Not again!" An Exploud groaned into his stew.

"Oh, come on, Sondo!" Desmond pleaded. "Just this once?"

The Exploud glared at him, then rolled his eyes and turned back to his meal, muttering to himself.

"Go on," said Wave curiously.

"Well, a couple of years ago, I was up at the berry patch, as usual, when a terrifying beast appeared out of nowhere." Desmond wiggled feathery eyebrows. "Came out of thin air, I tell you. One minute, I'm pickin' berries, mindin' my own business, and BAM! There it is, leerin' at me. Right terrified, I was."

Wave's ears (if you could call them that) perked up. "What did the beast look like?"

" Well, it had snow white fur and a dark face and razor –sharp claws, so it looked like only the face and the blades were there. Good camouflage. Its eyes were blood-red, and it leered at me with sharp teeth and one cloudy eye lookin' at nothin' in particular and the other one starin' right into my very soul!" Desmond shuddered. "It had a scar all the way along its cheek. Rough an' tough it looked, an' not quite right in the head! I was in fear for my life!

"I said, real nervous-like, 'I-I hope I wasn't takin' your berries,' but it just shook its head and before I knew it, I was flat on my back with a pain in my side and it had a slick of blood in its claws. I hadn't even seen it move! A rumbling began, and I ran then, ran for my life. I narrowly avoided an avalanche!" Desmond shook his head. "If I hadn't run when I did, I would've been crushed!"

Wave stared at him. This was obviously the Absol they were looking for!

Desmond continued, "So, when I had calmed down and the missus had bandaged my wound, I realized that I had left my only basket at the berry patch. I was wary of goin' back, but after a time I realized I would have to.

"When I got there, with Sheriff Abomasnow with me, I found that some kind Pokemon had dug my basket and the berry bushes out from the snow and ice, and in my basket were several rare berries that weren't in the patch. You can imagine my astonishment. But I've been comin' to that patch for years now, and I haven't seen that bad Pokemon since.

"Wow," Wave said. "Thanks for the story. And… I was wondering… do you know where the Pokemon could be found?"

"You would go lookin' for it?" Desmond asked, surprised. "Ah, well, you are part of a Rescue Team, I suppose. I don't know where you could find it, though… maybe check the berry patch? I've never really gone looking for it."

"Well, thanks anyway," Wave said, handing Desmond some crumpled Poke-dollars and leaving the café. _Oh, well, _He thought. _At least I got the cobbler._

xxx

Slade sat on the steps of the inn, flipping through the book on his lap. He'd bought it at an old used bookstore, with the excuse that it might have some valuable information of the Absol. The shop-keeper _had_ said it was a book on rare Pokemon, after all. It was old and yellowed and chock-full of interesting information – to Slade, anyway. Wave and Zephyr sat next to him. They had all heard rumors of the Absol, and Wave even had a story that confirmed the rumors as true, but no one knew anything about where the Pokemon was found. All in all, the day's work had ended in failure. Slade, squinting in the streetlight's glow, looked at a blurry sketch that was supposed to be some sort of Dark Pokemon that was a master of illusions and turned the page.

His reading was interrupted by a shrill scream from a narrow alley down the block. He leaped to his feet, Wave and Zephyr behind him, and tore down the street to the alley. It was dark out, and the alley was cloaked in shadows, but all three had good night vision and could see a Weaville shove a Sneasel into the wall.

"That's Nia, the Sneasel I questioned!" Zephyr exclaimed. He leaped forward. "Get your paws off her!"

Slade moved to cover his friend Wave on his left. As Zephyr yanked the Weaville away from Nia, Slade gently pulled her away from the fight. "Go," he told her.

Nia smiled gratefully and ran from the alley. Slade turned around to see Zephyr, legs ringed in flames, parry the Weaville's slash, prior to kicking him into the wall. Wave grabbed the Weaville before he could get up again.

"Let's take him to Sheriff Abomasnow and then we can go find that Absol," said Slade. "We should check the mountains for the 'red-eyed demon' before bed."

The Weaville blinked. "The red-eyed demon? I've met it."

"_Really_," Slade drawled.

"No, I'm serious! It was a long time ago! White fur, scar along the cheek?"

"Okay," said Wave. "So what happened?"

"So, back when I had just evolved, I was in the mountains so I could hide… Well, anyway, I was looking for a good spot to put some… stuff... And the next thing I knew, I had company. And there she was, still fairly young and quite attractive. Very striking."

"_S__he_?" said Wave.

"_Attractive?_" said Zephyr, eyes lighting up.

"It seems we'll have to reevaluate our image of the 'demon', won't we," Slade said dryly. "Continue your story."

"So, anyway, she said, 'There's an avalanche coming. You need to leave!' I didn't believe the chick, naturally – thought she just wanted me to leave her alone. So I start putting the moves on her, but she gets angry. I'm looking forward to a little fight, a little tumble, but she just spits, 'Fine, creep! You can get crushed for all I care!' And disappeared as fast as she came. An' a bit later, an avalanche came roaring through, and if I wasn't so fast, I would have died."

"She… was trying to help you?" Wave confirmed, looking confused.

"Didn't think of it like that," grumbled the Weaville. "I lost most of my loot – I mean, stuff."

"Huh. I guess there's more to the 'demon' than we thought." Slave mused. "Come on. Time to take this guy to the jail."

xxx

The Absol sat on a ridge overlooking the town. She was focusing intently, eyes closed, the bladed horn on the side of her head thrumming. She had been sensing the atmosphere in the city with the utmost care, keeping her attention pinned on the Rescue Team that was searching for her. Since few Pokemon had any desire to find her, this deserved notice.

The Absol had been sitting like this for hours. When she was completely focused like this, feeling out every little change in the atmosphere, she could pick up every comment, every move of the Pokemon she was concentrating on. She had a pounding headache and her limbs were stiff, but she had found out what they had learned about her that day. It was amusing that they thought she was a "demon" (if there was any remorse for that, she shoved it deep down inside her, in the little safe that contained all her pain and fear and anger. One has to be careful with emotions like that). Apparently they thought they could just waltz into the mountains, sniff out an avalanche, and find her at the source. The Absol wasn't going to be found unless she _wanted_ to be found.

They would soon learn that catching her was not going to be simple at all.


	3. Chapter 2: Freak

**Army of Me**

Authors Note: The song for this chapter is Freak, by Urban Cone. Reviews are very appreciated. I don't own Pokemon or the music, only this fic. Enjoy!

**Chapter 2: Freak**

_And so it was that the next morning Team Lance traversed the wilderness to find the elusive Absol. _Slade had been rolling that phrase around in his head for a while and decided that it sounded good. He'd have to remember that one, maybe insert it into a conversation if at all possible.

"Right," he said to Wave and Zephyr. "Briefing." He paused outside the inn to straighten his Rescue Bandana. "Wave, you shall sense for an avalanche – chances are this Absol is the one causing those disasters, which is trouble for the townsfolk – as… Whatsisname? Desmond? said. We're to find the source of the avalanche – you _can_ do that, right, Wave?"

"Sure," the Swampert said, nodding. "I've had a day or so to adjust to the atmosphere."

"Good!" Sade clapped him on the back and began to walk towards the mountains. The others followed him. "We can talk battle strategies and whatnot on the way to the avalanches' source – is that all right with you?"

Wave nodded.

"So when we reach her – the Absol, I mean – we fight her, apprehend her, and take her back to headquarters?" Zephyr asked, scratching his feathery chest.

"That's the plan," Slade said. "It'll be interesting to see why she's causing those natural disasters – if she is causing them at all."

"Huh?" said Zephyr. "Isn't she?"

"According to the Weavile's information, it sounded like she was trying to protect him from one," Slade told him.

"That's true… But maybe she started causing them _after_ she met the jerk," Wave mused.

"Understandable," Slade muttered.

"The plot thickens," Zephyr said dramatically, wiggling his feathery eyebrows, and grinned. "I've always wanted to say that."

xxx

It took a while for Wave to pick up on a change in the atmosphere that signaled a natural disaster, but he finally felt something shift in the fins on his head. "I think there's an avalanche starting!" He announced, raising a forearm. He focused intently, then began heading in the avalanche's direction. "Follow me!"

xxx

They had been jogging towards the shift for a couple of minutes when they saw a flash of white.

"Hey!" Zephyr yelled, bounding forward. "Stop right there!" He swiftly leaped towards the movement, Wave and Slade close behind him. He cleared a snow-covered bush, skidding to a halt on the slippery ice to confront… a very startled Glaceon?

"W-what's going on?" she stammered, eyeing the fireballs Zephyr held in each palm. Zephyr quickly snuffed them, sending tendrils of smoke into everyone's faces. There was much coughing and eye-rubbing as he crooned, "I am so sorry – I mistook you for someone else."

Then he smiled. "You're very pretty, aren't you?"

"Okay, stop right there," Slade barked sternly. "NO hitting on innocent Pokemon. We're very sorry about this, ma'am," He added to the bemused Glaceon.

And with that, he and Wave marched Zephyr back down the hill.

Xxx

They were getting close to the area where Wave had sensed the change, but they must have arrived before the disaster. They were being very careful, reviewing each step of their battle strategy. Team Lance wasn't taking any chances with the Absol.

"Okay," whispered Wave. "I think we've got it."

"You think it'll work?" murmured Zephyr.

"While it's a very good strategy, it's been blown to pieces somewhat as I've managed to pick up the whole thing," said the Absol, appearing right behind him.

Wave and Slade jumped, nearly falling over in their haste to turn around. Zephyr shrieked, then clapped his claws over his beak.

"Wha-wha-what was _that_ for?!" he gulped, stepping back.

The Absol shook her head, smirking. "I thought you couldn't possibly be stupider than you looked, but I guess I was wrong."

It took a moment to sink in. "Hey!" Zephyr yelped indignantly.

Slade groaned, embarrassed on his friend's behalf, and massaged his temples. "We might as well just attack her to save at least a shred of our dignity."

Wave and Zephyr were quite pleased with this idea.

Zephyr was the first to attack, launching an impressive barrage of kicks with legs aflame, but his leg bounced off thin air, the fire struggling to stay lit. _Wha…?_

He wobbled as a beam of ice shot past him, sent by Wave. The Absol dodged with astonishing speed, but the ice clipped the tips of her claws, throwing her off balance. She recovered fast, however, and flipped elegantly, her tail cutting a gash in Wave's side with surgical precision.

_It's... sharp..._ Wave thought, surprised.

He turned to see the Absol locked in fierce combat with Slade, the horn on her head ringing against the sword-like leaves on his arms. He had the advantage of blades on both his arms, but she countered with her powerful claws. Slade saw his comrades waiting to help and thrust the Absol towards them. Zephyr launched another barrage of kicks, but almost hit Slade instead. The Absol had vanished.

"Careful," Slade panted, and then she came down from above, throwing the Sceptile to the ground. Before Wave realized what was going on, a beam of ice hit him, freezing his legs to the ground. Wave sent an ice beam in return, but she ducked and it soared harmlessly overhead, forming a frigid spear in the air before crumpling to the snow. She jumped away from Slade, used Wave's head as a platform to leap into the air, and landed neatly on an ice-covered ridge.

Zephyr seemed unsure whether to help Wave or go after her.

Wave looked up and saw that the Absol was _smiling_. Angered by her cheek, Zephyr leapt, ascending swiftly, and the ground began to rumble.

"I thought your plan included an avalanche?" the Absol said serenely, gliding past Zephyr.

As Zephyr stared at the spot she had previously been occupying, he had just enough time to achieve the startled look one gets when the shit is about to hit the fan. Then a rock hit him in the face, and he tilted slowly backwards, gaping, and began to fall.

The avalanche caught him before he reached the ground.

Wave didn't catch where the Absol went in the ensuing chaos. He strained against the ice that bound him and broke free for a second before he was hit with the icy crush of the avalanche.

Slade realized what was happening when the Absol leaped towards Zephyr. He began to run.

xxx

The Absol watched from a safe vantage point, ice and rock tumbling past her. That really had gone astonishingly well. The team _did_ have a good strategy, but she had been focusing on them all morning, making it easier to put a wrench in their plan. They just counted too much on winning, and quickly – a little ego-bursting and snarkery distracted them completely from the oncoming avalanche, and even made them fight sloppily, an added bonus. They should've known to take a Pokemon called The Demon seriously.

The Blaziken and the Swampert had been caught in the avalanche, but she noted that the Sceptile had actually avoided the crush (he did get hit by some stray rocks, but he wasn't buried by them). That was impressive – she had to remember not to underestimate them as well.

Team Lance (_As in 'balance'?_ She thought. _Not bad._) were going to try to arrest her, and their ignominious defeat was obviously going to make them more determined. She would have to watch out for them. But… they were also investigating the increase in natural disasters. The Absol wasn't sure how to feel about this – she had already been looking into the matter and she didn't want them poking about and ruining her careful research. On the other paw… This could provide an opening…

"Yes," the Absol mused. "I think this could work."

xxx

Slade picked his way back to where Zephyr and Wave had been buried. He was, admittedly, smarting after Team Lance's curbstomping. The Absol had torn them apart – easily! And she had taunted them! He had totally underestimated her, and his careful plans had been ruined. It hurt his pride. But there was also the thrill of a challenge, a worthy opponent. He would figure this out. They would arrest her yet!

Slade looked around for his comrades, hoping they weren't badly hurt.

He found Wave was lying on his face, pinned under a mass of snow, ice, and slush. "This was pretty depressing, wasn't it?" The Swampert said, managing to prop himself up on his elbows.

"You all right?" Slade asked, pushing swept-up rocks off his friend.

"Yeah," Wave winced. "I'm pretty bruised, and I've got this gash in my side, but nothing too serious."

"Good," Slade sighed, very relieved. "How's Zephyr? D'you know where he is?"

"I'm right here," came a muffled, nasally voice. Slade looked up to see the tip of a beak poking out of the icy mess. The rest of Zephyr was buried.

Slade couldn't help it. He had to snicker a bit.

"Aw, shaddup," said the beak.

Wave sighed.


	4. Chapter 3: Unlike Me

**Army of Me**

Author's note: Yo! Sorry it took me longer than usual to upload... School happened. Chapters'll be more infrequent, but I assure you I'll still be posting. Thanks very much for the reviews! I now have links to the songs so far on my profile, so if you want to listen to them, they're there (I've tried to choose the videos with lyrics. Two birds with one stone!). I don't own any of the music, nor do I own Pokemon. Enjoy the chapter and its song, which is by Kate Havnevik

**Chapter 3: Unlike Me**

Team Lance trudged in the general direction of the village; while the sun was still in the sky, they were cold and sore and smarting from their defeat. Wave held the thin gash on his side protectively, keeping any more blood from oozing out. Zephyr's head pounded. Slade, a reptile, was sluggish from the cold. Morale was low.

The Absol tread softly on the frosty snow, paws making the faintest of crunches. She slunk close to the ground, her white fur blending in with the surroundings, and crept briskly up to the rescue team. She felt a bit guilty for leaving them to the avalanche, but shook it off. No need for any of that. She waited until she was right behind the Sceptile, then cleared her throat.

To her satisfaction, they all jumped.

"I hope you realize that we are entitled to apprehend you at any time?" The Sceptile said sternly, drawing himself up to his full height.

The Absol was tempted to say, "Good luck with that", but refrained. Instead she remarked, "Yes, Slade, I am aware."

They jumped again.

" Y-you know my name?" Slade gasped, than instantly regretted his stupid question.

The Absol managed to keep a straight face. "Considering that I've been keeping tabs on you all morning..."

"You _what?" _Zephyr squawked.

"Not many Pokémon come looking for me. You deserved special notice."

Slade looked uneasily at his companions. It was unnerving to find out that they'd been spied on for the past few days without any inkling of it at all. "W-well, since you know all of us so well, why don't you tell us _your _name?" He finally said.

The Absol paused for a moment, unsure whether to share this information. "Artemis."

_Fitting_, thought Slade. She'd tracked them so silently he hadn't noticed her at all. She blended in and stood out at the same time. Red eyes looked impassively from a dark face, one bisected by a long, jagged scar that ran from her hairline to her chin. That eye was clouded, and he realized that it was blind. They had been beaten by a single, one-eyed Pokémon. It was pitiful, really.

"Now that we have all the niceties over with..." Artemis said dryly, looking intently at the three Pokémon. Wave shuddered. Her gaze was as keen as their Guildmaster's, and Ari was famous for his glare. "I have a proposition for you." Artemis finished, the corners of her mouth curling up in a small smile. She waited.

"And what would that proposition be?" Slade said guardedly, taking the bait.

"You're looking into the natural disasters. I am too. If you'll allow me to help with the investigation and hold off on arresting me, I'll tell you what I know and give you my assistance with battles and mission and whatnot... Not that you'd need it, of course," she added smoothly.

Slade frowned. That last bit was definitely unnecessary, a little dig at how easily they had lost.

''No way are we working with you!" Zephyr snapped. He was rankling over their defeat too.

The Absol stayed where she was.

Slade considered. He was very tempted to agree with Zephyr - he didn't trust her, the way she appeared and disappeared and leered at them with her blood-red eyes. He could think of a lot of things that could go wrong if they took her in, and orders were orders: Ari wanted them to arrest her, and Ari was a force to be reckoned with. Battle-hardened, their Guildmaster had an iron will. It was rare for him to back down. On the other hand, it would be good to get a lead on the natural disasters, and with her senses, Artemis could come in handy. Besides, it seemed that she could be as stubborn as Ari if she wanted to. She wasn't about to back down either. Slade considered a bit longer. They could agree to the deal, get her information and help, and take her back to the Guild, where all the teams could assist in putting her in jail. She would never know...

"C'mon, Slade! Tell her to go on her happy little assassin way! We can do our thing without her," Zephyr coaxed.

"Hold on, Zeph... Artemis could actually help us," Slade said. "I don't like it any more than you, but she could give us valuable information."

"I guess that's a yes," concluded Wave, ignoring Zephyr's scowl.

Artemis resisted the urge to say, "Well, if you're _sure._" Instead, she nodded. "All right."

XXX

"So where are we going again?" Zephyr grunted, eyeing their new companion suspiciously.

Artemis sighed. "It could be bad if I went into the village. There's no knowing if I'll be recognized as "the Demon" or not, and I'd rather not take the chance. So you all get to see my hideout."

"Huh," Zephyr said. "Doesn't it bother you, being called a demon?"

Artemis blinked, surprised. Didn't it? "I..." Why did he want to know, anyway? He barely knew her. What was the point of... "I thought you wanted to know about the natural disasters, not my feelings on silly things like that," she finally said.

"Okay, okay, I was just curious. I didn't know you were upset," Zephyr huffed.

Artemis looked irritably at Zephyr. "I didn't say that."

"But then why..." Zephyr began, but Wave cut him off with a Look. "She doesn't want to talk about it," the Swampert hissed.

"She's going to be on our team - I have the right to ask her an innocent question!" Zephyr muttered back.

As his teammates began an intense, whispered discussion on tact and overt curiosity, Slade quickly changed the subject. "Are we going to reach your hide-out soon?" he asked.

Artemis, faintly relieved, said, "Yes. We're almost there, actually. Just around this ridge..." She led Slade and his bickering companions around a hunk of icy boulders and said, "Ta-dah!"

"You _know _you want to - wha?" Zephyr said, startled out of his argument with Wave. "But there's nothing here. Just a few miserable-looking trees and too much snow."

"Yes, well..." Artemis padded over to a snow dune heaped against the rocky ridge and pushed the white flakes aside. Behind the dune was a hole in the face of the boulders. "Follow me."

Team Lance warily squeezed into the passageway after her.

"It'll be a bit tight for some of you, I'm afraid," Artemis said over her shoulder (Wave was regretting his third serving of breakfast that morning) "but it'll get wider soon. And it's good shelter from the elements."

Sure enough, the thin, sloping passageway widened into a fair-sized cave. In one corner there was a neat little nest of dry fir fronds and pine needles. On ridges along the wall was a well-stocked collection of berries. The cave was a little crowded with all four of them inside, and almost as frigid as it was outside, but with Zephyr's ample body heat, it soon warmed up comfortably.

"All right, now that we're here, what can you tell us?" Slade asked.

"What do you already know?" countered Artemis.

Slade sighed. He should have known she wouldn't make it easy for them. "Not much," he admitted. "We heard about the increase in natural disasters, and that you were the cause of them. That's it."

Artemis smiled wryly. "I'm just an Absol, not a Legendary."

"Sooo?" Zephyr said impatiently. "Get to the point!"

"You'll be disappointed to find that I know little more than you. I've just been working to protect the townspeople from the natural disasters."

Zephyr interrupted her, muttering, "Hence my earlier question!"

Slade elbowed him, causing the Blaziken to yelp. "Gah! You've got some pointy weapons on there, Slade!"

Artemis smirked slightly, but otherwise ignored the exchange. She continued, "I only recently realized something was wrong when the disasters got out of hand - I couldn't keep up with them anymore. There would be a bunch of disasters clustered in one area, or a sweep of them across a large distance, or any number of other unnatural issues. Sometimes a problem repeats, but there doesn't seem to be a pattern to it. It's really odd, so I've been scanning for the cause."

"What have you found?" Wave asked.

"Nothing much just yet. It's too uncertain, over too large a range, for me to pinpoint anything."

"So you _can't _create avalanches," Wave sighed.

"Not unless I shove an enormous amount of ice and rock or sneeze very loudly," Artemis said dryly.

Zephyr looked confused. "But then... Why are you always appearing just before the avalanche? And really - I _mean_ it, Wave - I'm surprised you protect Pokemon that are scared of you."

"... I suppose that's a valid point," Artemis allowed grudgingly. "Basically, I can sense the change in atmosphere a natural disaster causes, and by mapping the trajectory, I can tell if anyone is in danger. I show up before the disaster to warn them. And as to the demon," she added, seeing Zephyr open his beak again, "I have gotten quite _good _at scaring them. If I told them nicely, no one would believe me - you heard the Weaville - so if I give them a reason to flee, well... Better they call me a demon than be badly hurt or killed by something beyond their control. I'm used to it by now."

Zephyr blinked. He'd thought she was just some untrustworthy prick, but if she wanted to protect the town so much, then maybe she wasn't that bad.

"Plus it's fun to be creepy." ...Okay, maybe she was.

XXX

After Wave had bandaged his side and they'd all had a chance to rest (Artemis slept outside, not trusting Zephyr's one-track-mind - she reasoned that while he didn't like her, she was still female, after all), Team Lance plus one set off to try and map the disasters. They had collected Artemis after squeezing out of her cave, finding her by her horn sticking out of the snow. They were ready.

"We don't have to worry about finding a disaster," Artemis explained as they trekked across the frosty landscape. "They're common enough now. Wave and I just have to focus on where they're coming from."

"Sounds difficult," Zephyr said dubiously. "Are you sure two Pokemon is enough?"

"Have a little faith, Zephyr!" Wave scolded. "Two Pokemon expand the focus. Artemis and I'll be fine."

There was silence for a while as the two focused, tilting their heads slightly to better catch the wind. After a moment Wave stirred. "There's one," he said. "A huge blizzard, out of nowhere."

Artemis nodded, ruby eyes aflame. "I got it too. For a second there, there was - this immense surge of power... I've picked up on it a few times before, but it's gone so _fast_..." She trailed off, looking frustrated.

"I wonder what caused it?" Wave mused.

If Slade had been in a cartoon, a light-bulb would have appeared over his head. "Artemis!" He gasped, in the tone one would use to cry, "Eureka!"

The Absol looked suspiciously at him.

"What did you say before, in your cave, when we said you were the cause?"

"That I wasn't a Legendary..." Artemis said slowly, eyes widening.

"_That's it!_" Slade cried. "It's Legendaries! I've read stories about them, how they cause trouble with their battles. I don't know why I didn't think of it before."

"Sooo... Are you suggesting that we step between some Legendaries and their battle of epic proportions?" Zephyr said incredulously.

"_Yeahhh_. The four of us, strong as we may be, are way outclassed. They're _Legendaries_, for Arceus' sake!" Wave added.

Slade looked at them beseechingly. "C'mon, guys. Can't I get a 'Slade's really smart! He figured it out!' or something?"

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "I think I'll side with the others, for once. It's suicide."

"Outvoted three to one!" Wave said triumphantly.

"Fine, fine. But if we went to the Guild and got everyone to join in, then we would have a chance!" Slade protested.

Wave and Slade looked at each other. "Well... Alright. We'd have to do something about it eventually," Wave said.

As they turned back on the route that would eventually take them back to the Guild, Slade thought of his plan to take Artemis to the Guild and arrest her when she was there, unable to escape. He wondered, with a slight sinking feeling, if she might be too useful for that to happen. Her fighting skills and sensory talent made her pretty valuable. Her scanning was even better than that of Wave's, honed to ferret out the slightest changes in the atmosphere. With a mission like this... Slade supposed they would have to keep her on the team. _What will Ari say when we get back_? Slade was deep in his musings when he noticed Artemis watching him curiously, head tilted a little to the side like she was trying to divulge his thoughts. He shuddered slightly and looked away. Artemis was on their side for now, but she definitely wasn't their friend.


	5. Chapter 4: The World is Mine

**Army of Me**

****A/N: Hello, there! Here's the fourth chapter, whose song is The World is Mine, by David Guetta (not to be confused with the vocaloid one). I now have a link to some pictures of Artemis up on my profile (there should be more coming, once I get around to scanning them all). I don't own the music or Pokemon, just the story.

**Chapter 4: The World is Mine **

Artemis looked up at the rocky archway that marked the entrance to Craggy Coast. It was rather thrilling, this being her first mission with a Rescue Team (if you didn't count the business with the natural disasters).

They had taken a longer, more scenic route to avoid the snowy little town by the Frosty Forest, circling a safe distance around the village in the hope that Artemis would go unseen. No need for any panic about The Demon. While Artemis and her new team were still wary of each other, the Absol had been quietly enjoying herself all the same. She hadn't been away from the Frosty Forest in years, and she realized that she quite liked the warmer climate.

"Right, so we _do _have a mission here before we get back to base," Wave had told Artemis as they approached the coastline. "It's been on our back burners for a while, so we figured we might as well get it out of the way while we're in the area."

"Well, I don't mind," Artemis had said. "Just so long as it doesn't deviate from the natural disasters."

"It won't take long," Wave had assured her. "There's just a Ferroseed that's been hiding out on the fourth floor of the Craggy Coast. Zeph'll take him down in no time - Pokemon like that are his specialty."

Artemis had nodded coolly. "'Might as well', eh what?" Inside, however, she had given an ironic smirk. So she was to take part in a rescue mission after all...

Now, looking at the cavern awaiting them, the faint amusement returned, and a small smile grace her face.

XXX

Zephyr had to admit, Artemis had her useful moments. He didn't care much for the Craggy Coast, with its puddles everywhere and sea brine stench. It was hard to avoid getting wet with all the water types about, but stay dry he must if he wanted to fire up in his battle with the Ferroseed. For the past three floors, Artemis, ninja-like, had swiftly knocked out as many Pokemon as his teammates had. She saved them time and energy they didn't know they'd been spending (no way was he going to tell that to her sneaky little face, though).

Now, on the fourth floor, all of them were on alert for the Ferroseed as Zephyr led them through the labyrinthine passageways.

"Hey, Artemis!" Zephyr suddenly hissed.

The Absol raised her head inquiringly.

"You better not steal the Ferroseed, okay? This guy is mine!"

Artemis was tempted to "steal the Ferroseed" just for that, but she shrugged. "Okay."

They turned the corner into the next drippy cavern. A Ferroseed was trying rather desperately to run away, but he was so slow-moving it was a joke. Two Shellos and a Shellder squirmed after him.

"Take out the henchmen!" Zephyr yelled. His three companions sprinted forward, the fire/fighting type close behind them.

Artemis was the fastest of them all, and sent one of the Shellos flying into the wall with the flat of her horn. It oozed to the floor, stunned. Slade snatched up the other Shellos, inhaling, and sucked up a flood of nutrients, leaving it unconscious in his claws. Wave simply whomped the Shellder and it went limp, drooling slightly.

Zephyr overtook them all. Now was his time to shine! He leaped into the air and sent a Flamethrower flaring into the Ferroseed's back. It went out like a light. The whole procedure was over in a matter of seconds.

"Are we good, or are we good?" said Zephyr.

"We're _good_." said Wave.

They bumped fists, then stared pointedly at Slade.

"Oh, fine. I'm inclined to agree."

Artemis raised her eyebrows as fist-bumps were passed around. Males.

"C'mon, ninja-lady! Join in the bro-fist love!" Wave called, grinning goofily (his teammates frowned).

Artemis blinked slowly at them. _I ought to insist on being paid for this, just to see the look on their faces_, she thought, rolling her eyes.

But join them she did.

xxx

"So, what do you think? Was I cool or what?" Zephyr chattered.

Artemis was swiftly growing tired of the Blaziken's incessant noise. It was time for bed, but the idiot bird didn't seem to want to shut up! Was this _usual_ for him?

"I mean, that's gotta be one of the fastest Pokemon battles in history, right? I just _burned_ that Ferroseed!" Zephyr continued, regardless of Artemis's growing irritation.

"Go to SLEEP, Zephyr!" The Absol finally groaned, already working out what would make for a suitable revenge.

XXX

Zephyr jolted awake around midnight. Something, some sound, had woken him. He looked up to see Artemis, sharp white teeth gleaming in the moonlight.

"Do you know what I do to Blazikens who talk too much while I'm trying to sleep?" She inquired, voice dangerously soft. "_I... eat... them._"

With a Sharpedo-like grin, she leaned forward, red eyes leering...

"AAAUUGHH!" Said Zephyr, scrambling backwards and hitting his head on the cave wall behind him.

Artemis rocked back, snickering, and Zephyr realized she'd tricked him. "G-gah! Why'd you scare me like that?" He squawked indignantly, rubbing the back of his head and trying to smooth down his ruffled feathers.

"Why, Zephyr," Artemis said innocently, "being creepy is what I do best." She smiled again, but this time the grin was completely sane, like she was sharing some private joke with him (and not contemplating how he'd taste with ketchup). "Sweet dreeeeams..."

xxx

That morning it was Artemis's turn to get an unpleasant wake-up call. Ice cold water splashed over her head, sending her up onto her feet and ready to fight.

She didn't have to look far to find the culprit. Zephyr was cackling gleefully and patting Wave on the back. "You-you- you should've seen your _face_!" He spluttered. Wave choked, but managed to stifle his giggles under the heat of Artemis's glare. The soaked Absol bristled at the insult at first, but soon began to grin as well. The fool had actually managed to get her back.

"Delinquents, all of you," Slade sniffed, reaching for his book on wild Pokemon.

Zephyr grinned evilly and dove for the musty tome, snatching it up just before the green and red reptile got to it. "Hey Wave! Catch!"

"Wha - don't play catch with my book! Put that down! Artemis, not you too - careful, birdbrain, that thing is old!"

"You asked for it~"


	6. A Brief Interlude

**Army of Me**

A/N: Ok, this chapter is pretty much a filler... So to make up for the shortness, I decided to give character theme songs instead of a general chapter song. I own nothing. I hope you enjoy!

Artemis: Apres Moi, by Regina Spektor

Zephyr: Sexy and I Know it, by LMFAO (or if you prefer to take him seriously, Smooth by Santana)

Wave: Everything's Right, by Matt Wertz (thanks Wolfgrowl for showing me this song!)

Slade: Map of the Problematique, by Muse

**A Brief Interlude**

As they walked, Slade couldn't help glancing over at Artemis. He just couldn't make her out, and Slade didn't like not being certain of things. She _seemed_ trustworthy enough, protecting the town and offering Team Lance help. On the other hand, something about her seemed... off. She was slowly starting to open up; pranking Zephyr, chatting with Wave, even looking with genuine interest at Slade's rare Pokemon book, but sometimes the Sceptile caught her frozen, staring at something unseen with hearts-blood eyes, watching, waiting... She was very self-controlled, very well-trained - he could see it in the way she moved, graceful, never quite off her guard. Artemis was precise as clockwork, her sharp, impish wit dug into normalcy, holding her as strong and impenetrable as a rock. And yet... Slade felt that there was something lurking underneath, locked away in some corner of herself, and if she let loose, if she cracked open...  
Slade shuddered, thinking of blood, and screams, and Artemis writhing, feral, insane...  
She had noticed him watching her and raised an eyebrow, a small sardonic smile on her lips. Did she know what he was thinking? What was she hiding behind her smile?  
_Oh, Artemis_, Slade sighed to himself. _What am I going to do with you?  
_xxx  
Things were falling into place. The Shadow had started small many years ago, stealing baubles, then priceless orbs, items, gems, and then finally graduated to stealing lives. It stole, murdered, blackmailed, became known for standing out and blending in. It was as fleeting and cold and devious as shade, and that was where it found its name. Slowly, surely, it built a network, formed alliances. It was the perfect setup - until _she_ came along and ruined it all. _(I had to kill her, you know...)  
_It had been left with a scar from that unfortunate night, a little scar and big plans, and now, years later, everything was falling into place...  
That rescue team, Team Lance... (Lance for Balance, how _quaint_) Yes... Those three were right where The Shadow wanted them.  
_They didn't suspect a thing..._


	7. Chapter 5: Lights

**Army of Me**

Author's note: Hello, and welcome to the fifth chapter of Army of Me. Song: Lights, by Ellie Goulding. I'd like to thank my friend Wolfgrowl for giving me the idea for this chapter; it was a lot of fun to write! (and hey look, plot) 3 Reviews and constructive criticism are much appreciated. I still own nothing, aside from the story, but I hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 5: Lights**

They were getting close to Treasure Town, and the first thing Wave saw was the circus tents. Towering above the everyday tents, the red-and-white canvas stood tall and proud, beckoning to the Pokemon milling around it.

"Hey guys! Look!" Wave said, nostalgia washing over him. "The circus is in town."

"I haven't been there in years," Slade sighed. "Not since I joined the team."

"You don't know what you're missing, man. I'm lucky I have sibs," Wave said. "The cotton candy's pretty good, you know."

"Don't you think you're a bit old to be going to the circus?" Zephyr sniffed.

Slade smirked. "Oh, _no_, you're just too much of a stud muffin for things like that!"

"You're one to talk!" Zephyr countered.

Wave noticed that Artemis was very quiet and lumbered to her side. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Artemis said calmly. "I've just never been to a circus, that's all."

They stared at her.

"_Dude!"_ Zephyr squawked, momentarily forgetting he was supposed to be too old for circuses. "How could you NOT go to the circus! Circuses are awesome!"

"I just haven't, that's all!" Artemis muttered, starting to feel defensive.

"We'll have to remedy this," Wave said.

xxx

Wave and Zephyr swiftly brought Slade over to their side, and after that there was no stopping them. Artemis was nearly dragged to the circus, but she caved in the end, snapping, "Fine! I'll go, I'll go, but on my own four feet, thanks very much!"

On the way there, the three males, even Slade, babbled incessantly about what she was missing, and how cool it was, and whether the food was worthwhile or not, until she eventually tuned them out, determined not to show any enthusiasm out of sheer stubbornness.

But when they got there... _Oh_. All the colors, and the lights and sounds and smells... There were Pokemon everywhere, some in bright costumes, some selling delicious, grease-laden treats, some old, some young... Artemis was almost overcome by the sensory overload. She had never seen - no, _experienced_ - anything like this before.

"It's... beautiful," she mumbled, losing all hope of not being impressed.

Team Lance grinned at each other. "Of course it is!"

XXX

They all got cotton candy, then wandered around sightseeing before the show started. Wave and Zephyr guffawed over the House of Mirrors, Slade had to be wrenched away from a stall selling books and fliers, and Artemis wrinkled her nose at the ridiculous toys and accessories at a different booth.

"Our friend the demon looks a bit shell-shocked," Wave whispered to Zephyr and Slade, indicating the wide-eyed Absol.

"I've an idea," Zephyr said perkily. He pointed at a burly Machamp in orange get-up, who was efficiently knocking the stuffing out of some poor Pokemon..

"Oh, Arceus!" Wave yelped, moving forward to try and stop him, but Zephyr held him back.

"No, moron, look at the sign!"

Wave directed his gaze to the sign next to the battlers. "'Win a fight, get in for free,'" He read. "Hey, perfect! The circus'll start in maybe 20 minutes, so..."

"I nominate Artemis," Slade said. "She could beat him with a paw tied behind her back."

"Hah?" Artemis said eloquently.

xxx

Artemis found herself in the ring with the Machamp, gearing up for a fight. She didn't mind the chance to clear her mind and loosen her limbs, but she wished there wasn't a crowd. She could hear them muttering, hear them wondering who would win - "She's in for a beating - that Machamp is a beast." "Oh, I dunno, she looks pretty tough - just get an eye-full of that scar!" "Yeah, but that means she only has one eye; there's no way she can win."

Artemis frowned, trying to clear her head of their distracting chatter.

"Ready?" The proctor yelled. Their muscles tensed.

"Begin!"

Artemis flashed forward, cutting a thin gash in the Machamps thigh, and slid out of range of his massive fists. She was still working out how best to proceed; she would have to take care not to hurt him too badly while simultaneously trying to prevent _him_ from hurting _her. _

"You're not bad," the Machamp said, cheeks creased with an easy smile. Artemis nodded politely, wondering if he was trying to distract her.

Then the Machamp ran forward and the fight began in earnest. He was a lot faster than he looked, and they swept across the ring in a whirl of fists and claws. The Machamp obviously wanted a quick, easy, one-hit-knockout win, but Artemis wouldn't give it to him. His four arms flew at her from all sides, aiming especially for her blind spot, but her horn picked up the attacks just in time for her to dodge. Sometimes his knuckles actually grazed her, keeping her on the defensive. However, Artemis had tricks of her own. Hard-pressed as she was, she couldn't use the shadows to fade away and escape, but she used her white fur to reflect the sun into his eyes, giving her a few seconds' respite. Sensing an opportunity, she darted in, her horn slicing into his side, and ...

And his fist came out of nowhere. If Artemis hadn't had years of using blizzards and avalanches to train, their fight would have ended right then and there. But his movement displaced the air near her horn and her stellar reflexes drove her forward, hoping Detect would kick in on time... It did, barely - his hand bounced off an invisible barrier inches from her scarred eye. Unfortunately, as she lunged forward, a different hand caught her leg and wrenched her into the air, and without thinking, Artemis used her tail to cut deep into his hand before he could punch her into oblivion. He reflexively let go and she fell and scrambled away, leg bruised.

He didn't banter now. They circled warily; Artemis, trying not to limp, watched the blood flowing from his wounds, her mouth gaping in a half-grin, half-snarl. She used Double Team, after-images flashing around him; he swept through them all. He steamrollered towards Artemis; she sent an Ice Beam at his face. He punched through it; she dodged neatly around him. They were evenly matched. The crowd shouted, but to Artemis, it registered only as background noise. Nothing but the fight mattered anymore.

_If I were in the mountains, this would be easier_, she thought, and then the idea came to her. She sent a wave of ice at the ground, making the ring into a skating rink. The Machamp slithered, unsure of his footing, but Artemis _knew_ ice and used it to her advantage, shooting around him, using the slippery surface to increase her speed, cutting into him, looking for an opportunity, for him to falter so she could finish him off -

The Machamp realized what she was doing and punched into the ice, sending fragments flying everywhere. Artemis used Detect to protect from the worst of the shrapnel, but then he was there and she couldn't send up the barrier in time, and he was too close, too close on her right and he punched... Artemis tilted back, went with the blow to avoid the worst of the damage, but she still skidded back, head throbbing, and

-**_blood_**_-_

dug in her claws to avoid falling over. He was running at her, but she wasn't holding back anymore, she wasn't going to take it easy, she

_-__**everywhere blood**__-_

dove, evading hands and feet and orange get-up and came up on the other side. And then she had leapt onto his back and her bladed horn was against his throat.

-_**just like - just like **__-_

A hush fell over the crowd. The Absol had won.

XXX

The Machamp was very kind, telling Artemis that that was the best fight he'd had in ages - "It was an honor to be beaten by such a lovely lady" - giving her an Oran berry to speed the healing process, and letting the whole team in for free. They were in a good mood, patting her on the back and whooping - Wave even gave her some of his precious cotton candy. Slade was impressed, he had to admit. Artemis had beaten a Pokemon twice her age, who was stronger, more experienced, sporting a _type advantage_, and she had made getting punched in the face by a Machamp seem like nothing. He had thought he'd seen her best when she destroyed them in the Frosty Forest, but this fight - her intensity, her gaping grin, her feverish, focused gaze after getting _punched in the face_ -

"Truly amazing!" He told her as they made their way to their seats, and a small smile crossed her face.

xxx

_Everyone... Everyone is being so nice to you. Don't think about the b- the blood. C'mon, cheer up! The circus is starting..._

_xxx_

Despite the high praise, it took the team, Artemis included, a few minutes to warm up to the circus. They were grown up. These silly jokes and costumes were beneath them. But then the magic of the lights and colors and music sunk in. Dragonairs dancing in silvery blue light, water blossoming around them... An Infernape expertly juggling fiery knives and throwing them at clowns that humorously managed to avoid them... Tight-rope walkers, flying trapeze, flashy mock-battles - one act after another, and the whole audience was entranced.

Occasionally, Team Lance snuck peeks at Artemis, wondering if she was enjoying it, what she was thinking. Slade didn't know what exactly he was expecting when he glanced at her - maybe her usual impassive expression. Instead he was astonished to find a wondering, soft-eyed Artemis, as enchanted and innocent as a child.

XXX

After the show ended, they were headed for the exit when the Machamp called them over in a booming voice.

"Here's the winsome warrior! You three as well - I'd like you to meet my son, he's about your age."

One of his broad hands rested on the knife-throwers shoulders. Up close, they could see the Infernape was covered with thin scars. Still in performance garb, he smiled. "So this is the challenger who defeated you. She's as beautiful as you said." With a bow and a wink, he asked, "What's your name, fair maiden?"

"Artemis," she said, bemused, as Team Lance exchanged huge grins.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Artemis. You've left a favorable impression on my dad. How did you like the show?"

"It was beautiful," Artemis said truthfully. "I've never seen anything like it before."

The Machamp and the Infernape beamed at each other.

"Do you battle before the circus too?" Zephyr asked the Infernape curiously.

"Nah... Were you wondering how I got these?" He indicated the latticework of scars along his arms and cheek.

"Er, well, sort of." Zephyr had the grace to blush. "Have I put my foot in it?"

"No, I don't mind. I'm used to it. My scars look impressive, but really it's kind of silly... We're a traveling circus, y'know?" They nodded. "Right, so I was just a wee Chimchar then, and I was out in a bramble patch collecting berries. It was late and there was a storm approaching." He lowered his voice dramatically. "I was rushing, hoping to get all the berries before it rained, and BAM!" (they jumped) "There was this huge crash of thunder and I ran into a tangle of thorns. I got all these scars trying to pull myself out."

"Ooh," Wave said sympathetically.

"Yeah, I know." The Infernape winced, but the smile soon returned. "But I've grown out of my fear of thunder. And you have to admit, these scars come in handy for my "dangerous knife-thrower" routine."

The Machamp was called away to start packing things away, but his son stayed to flirt with the mysterious Absol.

"I think our scars give us personality," He told Artemis with a charming smile. "Take yours, for example: it makes you even more beautiful, because it shows how strong you are. Don't let anyone insult that."

Artemis blinked. "I wasn't planning to, "she murmured, gaze hardening.

Regardless, he continued, "How did you get yours, by the way? Rescuing some innocent Pokemon? Or was it fighting a dangerous criminal?"

The Absol froze.

**_Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled across the sky._**

Team Lance had wandered ahead but they turned around now, looking curiously at Artemis.

**_One slash was all it took - the artery severed - a fountain of blood - _**

Her good eye dilated and contracted and flickered from side to side.

**_She could see the life draining out of the other Absol's eyes, draining away with all that blood - _**

Her mouth opened. They were waiting.

**_Pain and blood and thunder and - oh Arceus I can't see it hurts it hurts and blood is in my eyes and mouth and claws justmakeitstop - _**

"Something like that," Artemis said calmly. The mask of her face was utterly smooth and emotionless, but she could feel her control breaking. Her mouth opened and ejected some sort of excuse, and Artemis slipped from the tent.


	8. Chapter 6: Crying

**Army of Me**

Authors Note: Oh, look, I'm still alive. Yup, haven't given up on this yet, though posts might be a bit more spread out. Sorry, guys...But anyway, here is the next chapter of Army of Me! The song is Crying (even though no one... actually cries...) by Bjork. I own neither the song nor Pokemon.

**Chapter 6: Crying**

Artemis broke through the crowd outside the tent, scattering circus-goers and performers alike. She hadn't felt so disoriented in years. Focused entirely on holding herself together until she was away from so many Pokemon, she nearly ran into some of the stalls that were being packed up, only flinching away at the last second. Swinging her head from side to side to compensate for her useless eye, Artemis felt overwhelmed by the noise and bustle. Her strides lengthened into a full-out sprint for cover.  
''Scars give us _personality_," the Infernape had said. What was_ that_ supposed to mean? He'd just stumbled into a thorn-bush and run home to - to _daddy_, and he had the nerve to assume that made him some sort of authority on the matter? What the hell did he know? He could take _personality_ and shove it.  
Everyone kept prying in her business and asking her too many questions. Why did they feel they needed to know everything about her? Were all Pokemon this nosy? Why couldn't they leave her alone and stop stirring up memories she'd rather forget? Artemis wondered if they'd be so sympathetic if they knew how the other Absol had died, how Artemis had wanted to_ hurt_ the Other one, badly, and had scratched and clawed and been scarred in return. Would that Infernape be so _charming_ if he knew that it had taken her years to be able to stand interaction with other Pokemon after that fateful night? That she'd swing from maniac rage to numb depression, only to get up and pretend that nothing had happened? She had carefully built up walls in her mind, had thought she wouldn't snap like that again, but that circus fool had somehow torn it all down with a few misplaced questions. (or had the blow to the head shaken her loose instead?)  
Panting, pulse roaring in her ears, Artemis skidded into a quiet, empty clearing, a safe distance from the circus. Big boulders hid her from view, and there was a sandy pond, and trees, and -  
The cracks in the little box that held all her ugly emotions became fissures and everything seemed to spill out and over, swallowing her whole.  
In her mind, all was blood and rain.  
XXX  
When the Infernape started talking with Artemis. the members of Team Lance got the message and sidled ahead, giving the two some privacy. However, they couldn't help picking up the question about her scar.  
Slade was surprised the Infernape had brought it up. Sure, the Sceptile was curious about where it came from too, but given her reputation, he'd always assumed she'd gotten it in a fight or maybe an avalanche.  
Unable to resist hearing her answer, he, Wave, and Zephyr turned around, and Slade was struck by Artemis' reaction.  
For a split second she hesitated, and Slade recognized that frozen, haunted expression he'd seen her make before, when she thought no one else was looking. But then her face settled, smooth and unperturbed, and when she said, "Something like that," she was quite calm.  
The males all exchanged glances. Even Slade could tell that wasn't quite what the Infernape had been expecting. Perhaps Artemis sensed the awkward atmosphere, because she murmured something polite and discreetly exited the tent.  
The knife-thrower looked sheepishly at the floor. "I think I offended her," he said, chagrined. "I've gotten so comfortable with the subject of _my_ scars, I've forgotten some Pokemon aren't comfortable with _theirs_."  
"Don't worry, she always gets like that when you ask about her past," Zephyr said reassuringly. "She's very mysterious. Once I just asked if she had any family and she just gave me this _Look_."  
"She probably thought you'd start hitting on her sisters or something," Wave chuckled.  
"Aw, shaddup. Anyway, trust me, man, you haven't seen her mad," Zephyr said confidently.  
"That's good," The Infernape said, relieved. "Look, I have to go, but when you see her - could you let her know I didn't mean to offend her, just in case?"  
"Sure thing," Wave said.  
"Thanks, man," The Infernape said, starting to jog away. "Hope you all enjoyed the show!"  
"Well, he seemed nice enough," Wave said after the knife-thrower had left. "Too bad he goofed like that."  
"Yeah..." Something about Artemis' expression was still rankling with Slade. "Y'know, I think I'll go and look for her - see if everything's okay."  
Wave and Zephyr knew enough not to argue with Slade, but they looked dubious all the same. "Just so long as you don't piss her off. Girls are scary when they're like that," Zephyr, a (self-proclaimed) authority on women, said. "You don't know what they're going to do."  
Slade rolled his yellow eyes, but his movements were wary as he left the tent.  
By now the crowd had dissipated, except for the performers scurrying to changing rooms and workers packing up the stalls and tents. Artemis wasn't anywhere nearby. Had she gone to talk with the Machamp?  
...No, as it turned out. The Machamp, four hands busy with ropes and canvas, shrugged apologetically, wished Slade luck, and turned back to his work. One of the nearby venders, however, called to the green-and-red reptile as he passed by.  
"The Absol you mentioned? I think I saw her runnin' thataway." She pointed towards a small copse of trees down the road.  
Slade thanked her and hurried in that direction, feeling slightly apprehensive. _She must be hiding in the woods. I don't see her anywhere else._  
Cautiously, he entered the copse. Everything was quiet and still, and for a moment he thought Artemis would come flying down from the treetops and ambush him. Nothing happened, but as he looked around, he could see a cloud of dust in a clearing up ahead. He couldn't see inside because of a ridge of boulders, so he crept in... And was met with a disaster zone.  
Great clumps of earth had been ripped from the ground. Icy shrapnel glistened, embedded in surrounding trees. Patches of pond were completely frozen, and there were claw-marks everywhere, gouging deep into bark and stone alike.  
"Artemis?" He whispered.  
The dust settled, and he could see the Absol curled up in a ball, rocking gently back and forth. Bits of dirt still clung to her claws. Had she done all this? At that point, the rational part of Slade wanted to slowly back out of the clearing and all the way back to the circus, but the Rescue Team part of him saw that something was wrong and was determined to get to the bottom of it.  
"What's going on?" He said briskly, taking a step forward. "Are you all right?"  
The effect was immediate and astonishing. Artemis bolted to her feet as if shocked, fur standing up along her spine. For a moment he thought she would attack him, and he wondered vaguely how well he would hold up if she did.  
"Er... Artemis? It's me, Slade," the Sceptile said. He held his hands up for good measure, inwardly calculating the advantages the trees and sunlight would give him should it come to a fight._ Idiot! Get out of here!_ The rational side of him howled.  
"Slaaade," he repeated, slowly and clearly.  
Artemis stared at him for a moment, eyes wild, then slowly relaxed. "You startled me," she croaked, then glanced away as if embarrassed.  
"You're one to talk," Slade replied. He paused. "What's this all about?" He added, gesturing at the wreckage of the clearing.  
"Oh, I - I was cooling off after the circus," Artemis said with a slight laugh. "I enjoyed it, but it was a bit of a sensory overload... I thought working on my fighting technique would calm me down."  
Slade eyed her suspiciously. By mauling the surrounding area? "Did it work?" He asked.  
Artemis frowned. "Why do you ask?"  
"No reason. I just figured you might've been upset after the Infernape asked you about your scar. You left pretty abruptly."  
Artemis was looking distinctly frosty now. "I was a bit uncomfortable, yes," she said stiffly. "Just give me a moment, and I shall be fine."  
Slade decided not to press the matter further and withdrew. However, he found her behavior suspicious. More than ever, he wondered just what it was she was holding back from them. It was possible, of course, that he was over-analyzing things - he had been known to do so before. After all, he wouldn't want to disclose personal information to Pokemon he still didn't know very well. But still - something about her seemed off to him. Perhaps it was her frozen moments, or the way she'd been rocking back and forth when he arrived, or her feverish intensity during her battle with the Machamp. It seemed to go beyond just general creepiness; something about her was... vicious. But why would a Pokemon that looked like she was about to rip out his throat seem so frozen sometimes? What was she searching for?  
Slade sighed and shook his head. One day he was going to figure her out.  
xxx  
Artemis stayed in the clearing for a few moments more, staring at the space Slade had just left. She had been so angry, _so angry_ when she entered the clearing, swept up in memories of the night she - her - the night - Artemis swallowed, got control of herself again.  
She knew she should probably head back as well, but couldn't bring herself to face the others just yet. She felt, suddenly, very tired. Slade would, no doubt, tell the others about her strange behavior. She had seen him watching her, probably trying to be surreptitious about it, because whenever she caught his eye, he'd flinch and look away.  
Well, good. She was glad he was a little scared of her. He was the only one who seemed to exercise any decent level of caution. It was astonishing (and a little scary) how easily Wave and Zephyr accommodated her; didn't they know not to trust strangers? Before, she had taken it for simple, albeit naive, kindness, but now, still shaken by memories she would rather have left alone, she wondered if it was a farce, if they were just acting nice while waiting for her to lower her guard. They seemed decent enough, but she couldn't be sure if she could really consider them friends, because one never fully knew, did one, who even those closest to them really were. Her claws sank into the ground again. You could live with someone for years and never realize, never find out until it was too late...  
Her eyes dragged shut. Slade was wary, but was it just because of the rocky (heh) start to the alliance between her and his team, or something more? (she frowned, thinking of another set of eyes, wary, watching... beginning to suspect...)  
Artemis sighed, the wind ruffling her fur, and began slowly to clean the dirt off her claws and smooth down her fur. She wanted to stay in the clearing, to curl up and sleep. All the rage had, as usual, drained out of her and left her a tired, empty shell. Her thoughts seemed to swirl dully around her head. disjointed and vague. Eventually, one surfaced with more clarity than the rest and Artemis examined it with growing unease. Funny, how when Slade first appeared in the clearing, she had thought he was someone else. And not just someone, but _Someone_, who made her breath clench and strangle itself in her lungs. Someone who sent a frigid paralysis sweeping though her whole body and left her a twitching, shuddering mess. Someone who, to put it simply, was _bad news_ (she shouldn't have let him go, but then again, there isn't much one can do with a gash all the way down her face). She had been so sure when she'd seen him; she had thought he'd caught her at last, and had been debating whether she should try and kill him or run for the hills when she realized he had scales, not fur.

Artemis stood very still, thinking. She was alert again, eyes darting as quickly as her thoughts. Then she shook her head. She had no reason to believe_ He_ was anywhere near; after all, she hadn't seen him in years. Maybe he'd forgotten about her...? No, no, she'd left him with scars too, and a Pokemon like _him_ would hold those in his memory for a long time. Very well, she would get back to work, she would return to the Team (_her_ Team now, she supposed) and their questions. But she would be ready.

**...And now you know why it's called Crying. This whole chapter is just filled to the gills with angst! _It's everywhere_. So, yeah... Not entirely satisfied with this chapter. I'm not sure if I'm laying the hints on a bit thick, or if I'm confusing the heck out of people, or what. If you wanna comment, that'd be lovely!**

**...Right, Hawkpath out.**


End file.
